Self-venting chemical anchoring assembly with splash guard

Abstract

A chemical anchoring assembly useful for fast application of a driving tool into a borehole includes an elongated tube having a first end and a second end, a quantity of chemical anchoring material within the elongated tube, and a vent at the second end of the elongated tube. As an anchor pin is driven through the elongated tube and into the borehole, forcing the chemical anchoring material into the borehole, some of the pressure caused by compression of the chemical anchoring material is released into the vent, allowing easier driving of the anchor pin.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of driving an anchor pin having a first end and a second end into a borehole, comprising the steps of:
 providing a chemical anchoring assembly including an elongated tube having a first end and a second end, a quantity of chemical anchoring material within the elongated tube, and a vent assembly at the second end of the tube including a vent and a cup; 
 positioning the chemical anchoring assembly with the second end of the elongated tube directly over the borehole; 
 positioning the anchor pin with the second end of the anchor pin adjacent to the first end of the elongated tube; 
 driving the anchor pin through the elongated tube and into the borehole by applying a driving tool to the first end of the anchor pin, thereby forcing the chemical anchoring material into the borehole; and 
 releasing some of the chemical anchoring material from the borehole into the vent as the anchor pin is driven into the borehole; 
 the vent including an upper wall, a lower floor, vent openings in the lower floor, and a plurality of upright walls between the upper wall and the lower floor that divide the vent into sections, each section including at least one of the vent openings in the lower floor; and 
 the cup including a chamber, a cup floor, and an outlet in the cup floor having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of mixing the chemical anchoring material by injecting the chemical anchoring material at high velocity through the outlet and into the borehole. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the elongated tube further comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending slits commencing at the first end of the elongated tube and terminating between the first end and the second end of the elongated tube. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a cutting assembly at the first end of the elongated tube, the cutting assembly including at least a tube cutter. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the chemical anchoring material comprises two compositions, further comprising the step of mixing the two compositions together as the anchor pin is driven into the borehole. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the two compositions are mixed together in the cup. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the chemical anchoring material comprises about 10-90% by weight of a methacrylic copolymer and about 10-90% by weight of a reinforcement filler. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the chemical anchoring material comprises about 30-65% by weight of an epoxy resin and about 30-65% by weight of a reinforcement filler. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the vent comprises two to four of the sections. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the upper wall of the vent surrounds the elongated tube and serves as a splashguard, the lower floor of the vent surrounds the elongated tube, and the one or more openings in the lower floor are adjacent to the elongated tube. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the chemical anchoring assembly further comprises a first seal at a first end of the elongated tube and a second seal at the second end of the elongated tube. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of releasing some of the chemical anchoring material from the borehole comprises passing the chemical anchoring material through the vent openings. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of employing the upper wall of the vent as a splash guard for chemical anchoring material that is released into the vent. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a seal around an upper lip of the borehole using chemical anchoring material that is released into the vent. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of mixing components of the chemical anchoring material within the borehole as some of the chemical anchoring material is released from the borehole into the vent. 
     
     
       16. A chemical anchoring assembly, comprising:
 an elongated tube having a first end and a second end; 
 a quantity of chemical anchoring material within the elongated tube; and 
 a vent assembly at the second end of the elongated tube, the vent assembly including a vent and an inner cup, the vent including a lower floor and one or more vent openings in the lower floor; 
 the inner cup including a chamber, a cup floor, and an outlet in the cup floor having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the chamber; 
 wherein the vent assembly further comprises a receiving portion for receiving the second end of the elongated tube and a breakable membrane between the receiving portion and the inner cup; 
 the vent further comprises an upper wall, and upright walls between the upper wall and lower floor that divide the vent into a plurality of sections, each section having one or more vent openings; and 
 the upper wall of the vent surrounds the elongated tube and serves as a splash guard, the lower floor of the vent surrounds the elongated tube, and the vent openings in the lower floor are adjacent to the elongated tube. 
 
     
     
       17. The chemical anchoring assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a first seal at the first end of the tube and a second seal at the second end of the tube. 
     
     
       18. The chemical anchoring assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the vent comprises two to four of the sections. 
     
     
       19. The chemical anchoring assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the elongated tube further comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending slits commencing at the first end of the elongated tube and terminating between the first end and the second end of the elongated tube. 
     
     
       20. The chemical anchoring assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a cutting assembly at the first end of the elongated tube, the cutting assembly including at least a tube cutter. 
     
     
       21. The chemical anchoring assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the chemical anchoring material comprises about 10-90% by weight of a methacrylic copolymer and about 10-90% by weight of a reinforcement filler.